Wringer head for washing machines



Feb. 21, 1967 w. B. BEUSCHER WRINGER HEAD FOR WASHING MACHINES 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 11, 1965 INVENTOR. MY/l'am 5. Bear/1e," BY

Aria/way.

Feb. 21, 1967 w. B. BEUSCHER 3,304,754

WRINGER HEAD FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Jan. 11, 1965 5 Sheetsheet 2Feb. 21, 1967 w ER 3,304,754

WRINGER HEAD FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Jan 11, 1965 5 Sheetsheet 5INVENTOR.

Wl/l/am 5. Hausa/Mr BY ffi d, M

A ffarney.

3,304,754 WRJINGER HEAD FUR WASHlNG MACHINES William B. Beuscher, 5244Mohawk Drive, Shawnee Mission, Kans. 66205 Filed .l'an. 11, 1965, Ser.No. 424,769 9 Claims. (Cl. 68-455) This invention rel-ates to new anduseful improvements in wringer heads for washing machines, and hasparticular reference to the indexing and locking mechanisms of suchwringer heads.

In washing machines of an ordinary household type, the wringer assemblyis disposed over an open-topped tub or tank, being carried by a wringerhead. Said wringer head is mounted at the upper end of a vertical powershaft disposed adjacent the side of the tub, and serves to transmitpower from said shaft to the wringer rolls, which are usuallyhorizontal. Said wringer head is provided with clutch means whereby thewringer rolls may be started, stopped and reversed. It is also providedwith means whereby it may be pivoted about its vertical axis to positionthe rolls for conveniently transferring material being laundered fromthe washing machine tub to other tubs or containers adjacent the washingmachine. It will be seen that the operating torque of the power shafttends to rotate the wringer head about its vertical axis, with resultantdanger of injury to persons standing nearby, as the head may be whippedabout with very substantial power and force. Injuries from this cause,with resultant expensive lawsuits, are not infrequent. Accordingly,wringer heads of this type are commonly equipped with locking means forreleasably securing it against rotation, said locking means beinginterconnected with the clutching means in such a manner that, at leastnominally, the head cannot be clutched to drive the wringer rolls exceptwhen it is firmly locked against rotation.

Nevertheless, in a wringer head in very common usage, despite the factthat it is equipped with the above described safety feature, freeswinging of the head about its vertical axis, with its resultant dangerto nearby persons, can still occur under certain circumstances.Specifically, such free swinging can occur either when the head isclutched while positioned intermediate its normal index positions, or asa result of sticking or binding of certain parts, although thecircumstances will be better described and more fully understood laterin the following specification.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is theprovision, in a wringer head of the type described, of additional safetymeans which will positively prevent free or uncontrolled rotation of thehead about its vertical axis under any and all circumstances.

Another object is the provision of a safety means of the type describedwhich is entirely automatic in operation, requiring no attention from ormanipulation by the user.

A still further object is the provision of safety means of the typedescribed which not only arrests and prevents rotation of the wringerhead about a vertical axis, but also tends to correct the malfunctionwhich originally caused such rotation.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, eificiency anddependability of operation, and adaptability for use with various typesof washing machines.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appearin the course of the specification, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a washing machine wringer headincluding safety means as contemplated by the present invention,including fragmentary *tates atent showings of adjacent portions of thewashing machine, with parts left in elevation,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line IILI of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a slightly irregular sectional view taken on line II IIII ofFIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line IV-IV of FIG. 1, withparts left in elevation,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line V-V of FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on arcuate line VI-V-I ofFIG. 5, laid out in planar form,

FIG. 7 is :a fragmentary sectional view taken on arcuate line VII-VII ofFIG. 5, laid out in planar form, and showing one operable position ofthe safety device forming the central subject matter of the presentinvention,

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing another operable positionof the safety device,

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but showing a slightly modified formof the invention,

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on arcuate line X X ofFIG. 9, laid out in planar form, and

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10, but showing the safety device inan operating position.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the severalviews, and the numeral 2 applies generally to a washing machine of theordinary wringer type including an open-topped tub or tank 4 in which itwill be understood there is usually an agitator member driven by anelectric motor, neither being shown since they are not pertinent to thepresent invention. A wringer drive shaft 6, having the form of a fiatrectangular bar, extends vertically adjacent the side of tub 4, and isadapted to be rotatively driven by the same motor or other power unitwhich drives the agitator. Said drive shaft is carried in a non-rotatingtubular column 3 which extends above tub 4- and encloses the upper endof the drive shaft, and which is rigidly afiixed adjacent its upper endin a bracket 10 mounted on the tub as by rivets 12. A circular indexplate 14 is rigidly and concentrically fixed to column 8 in spacedrelation above bracket 10. As best shown in FIG. 5, said index plate isprovided with a plurality of notches 16 equally spaced about theperiphery thereof. Eight notches are shown, though a larger or smallernumber could be used if desired, an even number being preferred.

The wringer head, designated generally by the numeral 18, is rotatablymounted on the upwardly extended end portion of column 8', above indexplate 14. Said wringer head includes a hollow metallic housing 19 havingan inner end wall 20, outer end wall 22, a top wall 24, a bottom wall26, removable front and rear walls 28 and 30, and a tubular portion 32extending downwardly from bottom wall 26, said tubular portion having atits lower end a cylindrical skirt 34 which normally encloses and extendsslightly below index plate 1.4.

Coaxially with tubular portion 32 thereof, the housing is provided withan integral cylindrical post 36 which is axially bored from its lowerend to form a socket 38 which fits rotatably over the upper end ofcolumn 8, whereby the wringer head may be rotated about its verticalaxis and may move longitudinally with respect to said axis. A finderbutton 40 is rigidly fixed in the housing member at the lower endthereof intermediate post 36 and skirt 34, being inserted tightly in atubular support 42 formed integrally with the housing. Said finderbutton is of conical form, tapering downwardly, and is adapted to restby gravity selectively in any one of notches 16 of index plate 14,whereby to support the wringer head. The finder button is of largerdiameter than notches 16, so that it cannot pass therethrough. As thebutton is moved out of any of notches 16 by a manual torque exerted onthe head, the conical form of the finder button cams the head upwardlyon column 8, the bottom of the button then moving slidably on the upperface of the index plate, as indicated in FIG. 7, until it again entersthe next of notches 16.

A vertical operating shaft 44 is disposed rotatably in the wringer headhousing coaxially with drive shaft 6, being journalled at its upper endin top wall 24 of the body member, as at 46, and being journalledadjacent its lower end in bottom wall 26 of the housing, as at 48, andbeing secured against longitudinal movement by retainer pin 50 (see FIG.1). The lower end of operating shaft 44 extends downwardly into socket38, and is provided at its extreme lower end with a transverse slot 52in which the upper end of drive shaft 6 is slidably engaged. Thus theoperating shaft is driven by the drive shaft, but is free to movevertically when the wringer head is elevated by finder button 48 asreviously described.

Carried for free rotation on shaft 44 within the housing are a pair ofconfronting bevel gears 54 and 56. Said gears mesh respectively withdiametrically opposite portions of a bevel gear 58. Gear 58 is rotatableabout a horizontal axis at right angles to shaft 44, having a. hubmember 60 journalled in a tubular bearing 62 formed integrally withinner end wall 20 of the housing. The outer end of hub 60 is socketed at64 to receive non-rotatably therein the extended axle 66 of a wringerroll 68 which, together with a companion roll 70 urged thereagainst byresilient means, not shown, is carried by a wringer assembly indicatedgenerally by the numeral '72 and mounted on wringer head 18 by anysuitable means. Thus rotation of bevel gear 58 will cause operation ofthe wringer rolls 68 and 70 in the usual and well-understood manner.

A clutch member 74 is carried for longitudinal sliding movement on shaft44 between bevel gears 54 and 56, but is secured against rotationthereon by key 76. Said clutch member is provided at its upper end withaxially projecting lugs 78 adapted when the clutch member is movedupwardly to mesh with axially projecting lugs 80 of gear 54, wherebygears 54 and 58 are turned to rotate wringer roll 68 in one direction.The clutch member is provided at its lower end with axially projectinglugs 82 adapted when the clutch member is moved downwardly to mesh withaxially projecting lugs 84 of gear 56, whereby gears 56 and 58 areturned to rotate wringer roll 68 in the opposite direction. When theclutch member is at the midpoint of its vertical travel, its lugs 78 and82 do not engage the lugs of either of bevel gears 54 or 56, and wringerroll 68 is not turned. This is the neutral position.

Clutch member 74 is moved between its neutral and its two drivepositions by a control shaft 86 coaxial with bevel gear 58 and carriedrotatably in a tubular bearing 88 formed integrally with outer end wall22 of the housing. At its inner end, within the housing, shaft 86carries a flat cam 90 in a plane at right angles to its axis. A crankpin 92 projects from the inner face of said cam in parallel buteccentric relation to shaft 86. A rectilinear bearing block 94 carriedrotatably on crank pin 92 is engaged slidably in a peripheral groove 96formed in clutch member 74. Shaft 86 is turned manually by means of ahandle 98 iaflixed to the outer end thereof externally of the housing.Thus as handle 98 is turned 90 degrees in either direction from itsneutral position, bearing block 94 moves clutch member 74 selectivelyupwardly or downwardly to engage the lugs thereof with either gear 54 orgear 56, as previously described. Preferably, handle 98 is hollow, andis provided with internal webs 100 and 102 (see FIG. 2) which cooperatewith a stop member 104 formed integrally with housing end wall 22 tolimit turning of handle 98 to 90 degrees in either direction from itsneutral position.

As best shown in FIG. 3, cam 90, which turns with shaft 86, issubstantially oval in shape, having rounded indentations 106 and 108formed in the periphery thereof along its minor axis, and similarindentations 110 and 112 formed in the periphery thereof along its majoraxis. A vertical locking pin 114 is disposed within the wringer headhousing parallel to drive shaft 6 and on the diametrically opposite sidethereof from finder button 40. Said pin is carried for axial slidingmovement in a bearing 116 formed in bottom wall 26 of the housing, andextends downwardly therefrom through a tubular member 118 formedintegrally with the housing. Adjacent its lower end, said pin issupported slidably in a washer 120 pressed into the lower end of tubularmember 118. The upper end of the locking pin is rounded to engage theperipheral edge of cam 90, and is urged upwardly against said cam by aspring 122 coiled about said pin within tubular memher 118, said springbearing at its lower end against washer 120 and at its upper end againsta rod 124 inserted transversely through the locking pin.

The length of locking pin 114 is such that when cam is in its neutralposition, with cam indentation 108 engaging the upper end of the lockingpin, and when finder button 40 is in full engagement with one of thenotches 16 of index plate 14, as shown in FIGS. l-3 and 6, the lower endof the locking pin also extends into one of notches 16, but only to suchan extent that it will still be elevated diagonally out of said notchwhen the head is turned manually about column 8 to change the indexedposition of the head, the diagonal elevation being caused by the conicalform of finder button 4 as it earns the head upwardly. When the head isbetween index positions, with finder button 48 riding on the uppersurface of the index plate, as indicated in FIG. 7, the lower end oflocking pin 114 is disposed just slightly above the index plate.However, when finder button 40 is positioned in one of notches 16 andhandle 98 is turned in either direction to clutch the head, and engagingthe upper end of locking pin 114 in either of indentations or 112 of cam90, earn 90 forces the locking pin downwardly against spring 122,causing it to enter a notch 16 of index plate 14 more deeply, as shownin dotted lines in FIG. 6. The locking pin cannot thereafter be elevatedfrom the notch by the action of finder button 40, but will strike theside wall of its notch, and the head is thus locked against freerotation on column 8 as a result of reactive force from the drivingpower of drive shaft 6, which as previously noted can and frequentlydoes result in injury by causing the wringer assembly to strike personsstanding nearby. For example, if laundry should become jammed betweenwringer rolls 68 and 70 so that bevel gear 58 can turn only withdifficulty, or not at all, the head and wringer assembly could be causedby the power of drive shaft 6 to spin freely about column 8, sometimesunder the full power of the washing machine motor.

The structure thus far described is well known and in extremely commonusage. However, while the interconnection between the clutching meansand the locking means as shown and described provides nominally that theclutch cannot be engaged except when the head is locked against rotationon column 8, the structure is not foolproof and can still permit freerotation of the head, with its attendant danger, under at least twogeneral sets of circumstances which frequently occur. First, an operatormay turn handle 98 to engage the clutch while the head is disposedintermediate two of its index positions with finder button 40 riding onthe top surface of index plate 14. In this instance, the lower end oflocking pin 114 crowds downwardly against the index plate, elevating thehead to a still higher point, as in FIG. 8. This permits the clutch tobe fully engaged with the head not locked against rotation, so that saidhead can be rotated rapidly about column 8 by the reactive power ofdrive shaft 6. Moreover, if the head rotates rapidly enough, the lowerend of the locking pin may pass over notches 16 of the index platewithout entering them, so

that the head can continue to rotate indefinitely. Second, when the headis elevated on colunm 8 by finder button 40 in normal operation, it mayfor a variety of reasons fail to fall by gravity when said finder buttonis again positioned over a notch 16 of the index plate, but will remainelevated, with the result again that handle 98 may be turnedsutficiently to engage the clutch before the locking pin is fullyengaged in a notch of the index plate. To mention only a few of thereasons that the head may not drop to engage the finder button in theindex plate, the upper end portion of column 8 may become bent ormalformed, or be over-sized as relates to the size of socket 38, orbecome so fouled with dirt, grit or grime, as to fit too tightly insocket 38 to allow the head to fall normally by gravity. Also, driveshaft 6 may become so bent, corroded, or fouled by grit and grime as tofit so tightly in slot 52 of shaft 44, that the head cannot dropnormally by gravity. Also, shaft 44 itself may be bent. Also,unavoidable variations in dimensions of parts due to manufacturingtolerances sometimes contribute to a like malfunction. It is to theelimination of any possibility of free rotation of the wringer head oncolumn 8 under these and other circumstances that the present inventionis directed.

To this end, stop members 126 are provided on the inner surface of skirt34 of the wringer housing, which cooperate with stop members 128 carriedby index plate 14. Stop members 128 consist of radially projectingfingers each formed at the edge of the index plate integrally therewithand intermediate a pair of notches 16 of said index plate. Hence thereare eight stops 128, and they are equally spaced angularly of the indexplate. Stops 126, four in number as shown, each consist of a fingerstruck out of a cylindrical plate 138 of spring steel or the like whichis fitted snugly into skirt 34, said last named fingers projectingradially inwardly so that the circular orbit thereof overlaps the outerends of stops 128. Stops 126 could also be rigidly afiixed to orintegral with skirt 34, but for convenience of manufacture are made asparts of cylinder 136 which may be inserted when the housing isotherwise completed. As shown, cylinder 131i is provided at its upperend with a pair of inturned, diametrically opposite ears 132 which are:affixed to the wringer head housing by screws 134. Cylindrical plate130 is thus rigidly and permanently fixed in position.

It will be noted in FIGS. 1, 3, 5 and 6 that when the wringer head isnormally indexed with finder button 41) firmly resting in one of indexplate notches 16, stops 126 are disposed at a lower level than stops128, each of stops 126 being disposed directly beneath one of stops 128.Then, as the head is diagonally elevated by the finder button, stops 126are also elevated and each enters between a pair of stops 128, but doesnot engage stops 128. Also, if at the new index position the head fallsnormally by gravity to engage the finder button in another of notches16, stops 126 will again drop below the level of stops 128 withoutengaging them. Hence, as long as the head is free to rise and fallnormally on column 8 under the cam action of finder button 40, stops 126and 128 remain inoperative.

However, if the head should stick or jam with the bottom of the finderbutton at the level of the top surface of the index plate, as in FIG. 7,and the clutch engaged, or if the clutch is engaged with the headintermediate index positions so that the head is still further elevatedby the downward force of locking pin 114 against the top surface of theindex plate, as in FIG. 8 both as previously discussed, the resultantturning of the head about column 8 will be arrested by engagement ofstops 126 against stops 128, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The head willthus be stopped and locked against further rotation, and will remain solocked until the fault is corrected. For example, in FIGS. 7 and 8 itwill be seen that the stops 126 and 128 arrest rotation of the head withsaid head nearly in an index position, so that the head may fall bygravity, or may be forced down by manual force, to engage locking pin114 in one of notches 16. In any event, the head cannot again be turnedabout column 8, nor can it be spun about freely by re-engaging theclutch, until it is again lowered on column 8 to move stops 126 belowstops 128, and this downward movement allows locking pin 114 to reassumeits normal function.

Of course, a single stop 126 and a ingle stop 128 would eventuallyarrest undesired rotation of the head, but this might allow nearly acomplete revolution of the head before the stops engaged, and injury toa bystander might occur during this movement. For this reason, a stop128 is provided between each consecutive pair of notches 16 of the indexplate, so that the head cannot rotate more than one-eighth of arevolution under the circumstances described before the stops engage toarrest rotation. It is virtually impossible that it could build upsufficient momentum to cause injury in such a short arc of movement. Thesame limitation of movement could be provided by using one stop 128 andeight stops 126. Of course, the maximum number of sets of stops whichcan be used is a number equal to the number of notches 16 in the indexplate. Four stops 126 are used, although a greater or smaller numbercould be used if desired, in order that if one of them should break orbend, there will be others to performthe function desired.

In the modification of the device shown in FIGS. 91 1, all parts andoperations are identical to the species shown in FIGS. 1-8,corresponding parts bearing corresponding numerals, except that stops136, which correspond to stops 126 of FIGS. 1-8, are of triangularcross-sectional contour about axes radial to column 8, each havingupwardly converging top surfaces 138 and 140, as best shown in FIGS. 10and 11. Stops 136 as shown constitute solid blocks welded or otherwisesuitably affixed to cylindrical member 138, although they also could beformed by tabs cut from the member 131) if desired, in much the samemanner as stops 126 in FIGS. 1-8.

The operation of the species of FIGS. 9-11 is also the same as that inFIGS. 1-8, except that in addition it will be seen that whenever thewringer head 18 tends to be rotated by the reactive force of drive shaft6, as discussed in connection with the species of FIGS. 1-8, and stops136 are thus brought into engagement with stops 128 of the index plate,the inclined faces 138 or 140' of stops 136 act as cams tending to forcehead 18 downwardly to its normal position. This tends additionally tocorrect the very defect or misuse which caused the malfunctionoriginally. For example, assuming that the rotation of the head wascaused by turning handle 98 to clutch the head when said head is betweenindex positions, the downward cam action of stops 136 on the head willtend to force locking pin 114 upwardly into the head, allowing the headto fall, provided that cam has not already been turned sufiiciently tofix the locking pin immovably in its lowered position. If the head wasjammed in an elevated position by bending, malformation, or poor fit ofparts, or by fouling of parts by corrosion, grit or grime, all asdiscussed above, then the cam action of stops 136 may jar it loose andallow said head to drop normally. Of course, if the cam effect of stops136 does not succeed in lowering the head on column 8 as just described,said stops still act to arrest rotation of the head positively, just asdo stops 126 in the species of FIGS. 1-8.

While I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of myinvention, it will be apparent that many minor changes of structure andoperation could be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. For use in connection with a wringer assembly having horizontal rollsand adapted to be operated by a rotatably driven vertical drive shaft, afixed tubular column coaxial with and enclosing said drive shaft, aplanar index plate secured concentrically to said column in spacedrelation from the upper end thereof, said index plate being notched atregularly spaced intervals around .the edge thereof, and a wringer headcarrying the wringer assembly, said wringer head comprising a housinghaving a socket formed in the lower portion thereof which fits forrotary and vertical movement on the upper end portion of said column,said housing including a hollow cylindrical skirt surrounding said indexplate, a finder button fixed in said housing and adapted to engagesuccessively by gravity the notches of said index plate as said housingis rotated on said column, said finder button being conically bevelledwhereby said housing is elevated on said column when said finder buttonis moved intermediate any successive pair of notches of said indexplate, a driving connection carried in said housing between said driveshaft and said wringer assembly, a clutch operable to selectivelyengage, disengage, or reverse said driving connection, a shaft carriedrotatably by said housing and adapted when turned to operate saidclutch, a cam fixed to said clutch shaft, a locking pin carried forvertical movement by said housing, resilient means carried by saidhousing and urging said locking pin against said cam, whereby when saidclutch shaft is turned to move said clutch to either of its operativepositions, said locking pin will be extended downwardly to a positionwith its lower end below said finder button, whereby to enter one of thenotches of said index plate to lock said housing against rotation onsaid column, said locking pin being so positioned that it can enter anotch of said index plate only when said finder button is aligned withanother of said notches, a safety device comprising:

(a) a radially outwardly projecting stop carried by said index plate inthe plane thereof and enclosed by said skirt, and

(b) a radially inwardly projecting stop affixed to said skirt, theradius of the orbit of the inner end of said skirt stop being less thanradial dimension of the outer end of said index plate stop, said skirtstop being disposed at a lower elevation than said index plate stop whensaid finder button is engaged in any one of said index plate notches,but being elevated into the plane of said index plate Whenever saidhousing is elevated either by the cam action of said finder button onsaid index plate when said housing is rotated, or further elevated bythe downward crowding action of said locking pin against said indexplate if said clutch should be engaged wit-h said finder buttonintermediate any successive pair of notches of said index plate, wherebyinterengagement of aid stops will arrest and prevent rotation of saidhousing at either of said elevated positions.

2. The combination as recited in claim 1 wherein said skirt stop isdisposed directly beneath said index plate stop when said finder buttonis engaged in a notch of said index plate, whereby as said housing iselevated diagonally by the cam action of said finder button on saidindex plate as said housing is rotated on said column, said skirt stopwill be elevated into the plane of said index plate without engaging thestop of the latter.

3. The combination as recited in claim 1 wherein said index plate isprovided with a plurality of radially outwardly projecting stops atregularly spaced angular intervals.

4. The combination as recited in claim 1 wherein the skirt is providedwith a plurality of radially inwardly projecting stops at regularlyspaced angular intervals.

5. The combination as recited in claim 1 wherein both said index plateand said skirt are provided with a plurality of stops as described, thestops of each member being disposed at regularly spaced angularintervals.

6. The combination as recited in claim 1 wherein both said index plateand said skirt are provided with a plurality of stops as described, thestops of each member being disposed at regularly spaced angularintervals, and wherein each of said skirt stops is disposed directlybeneath one of said index plate stops when said finder button is engagedin a notch of said index plate, whereby as said housing is elevated bythe cam action of said finder button or said index plate as said housingis rotated on said column, said skirt stops will be elevated into theplane of said index plate without contacting the stops of the latter.

7. The combination as recited in claim 1 wherein the interengagingsurfaces of the stops of said skirt and said index plate are planar,vertical, and disposed generally radially to the axis of rotation ofsaid housing on said column.

8. The combination as recited in claim 1 wherein the stops of said skirtand said index plate are formed to provide a cam action tending to forcesaid housing downwardly on said column whenever said fingers are broughtinto engagement with each other by rotation of said housing on saidcolumn.

9. The combination as recited in claim 2 wherein said skirt stop isessentially triangular about its radial axis, having two surfacesconverging upwardly symmetrically to a vertical axis, whereby as saidstop is brought into engagement with said index plate stop by rotationof said housing on said column in either direction, said skirt stop willact as a cam tending to force said housing downwardly on said column.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,377,819 6/1945Smith 74378 2,525,392 10/1950 Bee 74378 2,669,110 2/1954 Bedscher 68-255DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, P1-imary Examiner.

H. S. LAYTON, Assistant Examiner.

1. FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH A WRINGER ASSEMBLY HAVING HORIZONTAL ROLLSAND ADAPTED TO BE OPERATED BY A ROTATABLY DRIVEN VERTICAL DRIVE SHAFT, AFIXED TUBULAR COLUMN COAXIAL WITH AND ENCLOSING SAID DRIVE SHAFT, APLANAR INDEX PLATE SECURED CONCENTRICALLY TO SAID COLUMN IN SPACEDRELATION FROM THE UPPER END THEREOF, SAID INDEX PLATE BEING NOTCHED ATREGULARLY SPACED INTERVALS AROUND THE EDGE THEREOF, AND A WRINGER HEADCARRYING THE WRINGER ASSEMBLY, SAID WRINGER HEAD COMPRISING A HOUSINGHAVING A SOCKET FORMED IN THE LOWER PORTION THEREOF WHICH FITS FORROTARY AND VERTICAL MOVEMENT ON THE UPPER END PORTION OF SAID COLUMN,SAID HOUSING INCLUDING A HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL SKIRT SURROUNDING SAID INDEXPLATE, A FINDER BUTTON FIXED IN SAID HOUSING AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGESUCCESSIVELY BY GRAVITY THE NOTCHES OF SAID INDEX PLATE AS SAID HOUSINGIS ROTATED ON SAID COLUMN, SAID FINDER BUTTON BEING CONICALLY BEVELLEDWHEREBY SAID HOUSING IS ELEVATED ON SAID COLUMN WHEN SAID FINDER BUTTONIS MOVED INTERMEDIATE ANY SUCCESSIVE PAIR OF NOTCHES OF SAID INDEXPLATE, A DRIVING CONNECTION CARRIED IN SAID HOUSING BETWEEN SAID DRIVESHAFT AND SAID WRINGER ASSEMBLY, A CLUTCH OPERABLE TO SELECTIVELYENGAGE, DISENGAGE, OR REVERSE SAID DRIVING CONNECTION, A SHAFT CARRIEDROTATABLY BY SAID HOUSING AND ADAPTED WHEN TURNED TO OPERATE SAIDCLUTCH, A CAM FIXED TO SAID CLUTCH SHAFT, A LOCKING PIN CARRIED FORVERTICAL MOVEMENT BY SAID HOUSING, RESILIENT MEANS CARRIED BY SAIDHOUSING AND URGING SAID LOCKING PIN AGAINST SAID CAM, WHEREBY WHEN SAIDCLUTCH SHAFT IS TURNED TO MOVE SAID CLUTCH TO EITHER OF ITS OPERATIVEPOSITIONS, SAID LOCKING PIN WILL BE EXTENDED DOWNWARDLY TO A POSITIONWITH ITS LOWER END BELOW SAID FINDER BUTTON, WHEREBY TO ENTER ONE OF THENOTCHES OF SAID INDEX PLATE TO LOCK SAID HOUSING AGAINST ROTATION ONSAID COLUMN, SAID LOCKING PIN BEING SO POSITIONED THAT IT CAN ENTER ANOTCH OF SAID INDEX PLATE ONLY WHEN SAID FINDER BUTTON IS ALIGNED WITHANOTHER OF SAID NOTCHES, A SAFETY DEVICE COMPRISING: (A) A RADIALLYOUTWARDLY PROJECTING STOP CARRIED BY SAID INDEX PLATE IN THE PLANETHEREOF AND ENCLOSED BY SAID SKIRT, AND (B) A RADIALLY INWARDLYPROJECTING STOP AFFIXED TO SAID SKIRT, THE RADIUS OF THE ORBIT OF THEINNER END OF SAID SKIRT STOP BEING LESS THAN RADIAL DIMENSION OF THEOUTER END OF SAID INDEX PLATE STOP, SAID SKIRT STOP BEING DISPOSED AT ALOWER ELEVATION THAN SAID INDEX PLATE STOP WHEN SAID FINDER BUTTON ISENGAGED IN ANY ONE OF SAID INDEX PLATE NOTCHES, BUT BEING ELEVATED INTOTHE PLANE OF SAID INDEX PLATE WHENEVER SAID HOUSING IS ELEVATED EITHERBY THE CAM ACTION OF SAID FINDER BUTTON ON SAID INDEX PLATE WHEN SAIDHOUSING IS ROTATED, OR FURTHER ELEVATED BY THE DOWNWARD CROWDING ACTIONOF SAID LOCKING PIN AGAINST SAID INDEX PLATE IF SAID CLUTCH SHOULD BEENGAGED WITH SAID FINDER BUTTON INTERMEDIATE ANY SUCCESSIVE PAIR OFNOTCHES OF SAID INDEX PLATE, WHEREBY INTERENGAGEMENT OF SAID STOPS WILLARREST AND PREVENT ROTATION OF SAID HOUSING AT EITHER OF SAID ELEVATEDPOSITIONS.